Confessions Of A Shopaholic (DVD)

I like most people who are going to see the film, am a huge fan of the Shopaholic books, I myself have only read the first one so far and loved that and are in the process of attempting to get the next couple of books, but this film was released today and unfortunately my mates decided to watch this over He?s Just Not That Into You, mainly because it was the only one we could watch in time with our lift back, however, because of this I went into ...
...to expect, I could see from the trailers that it was going to be a cheesy as hell, but I like Isla Fisher and I loved the book so I decided to give it a go.

==The Plot==

Rebecca Bloomwood is a New York journalist who has a slight obsession with shopping. Slight is putting it lightly as she is over $15,000 in debt due to her shopping habits and the only way she can see out of it, is to tell as many lies as possible and ... more

I like most people who are going to see the film, am a huge fan of the Shopaholic books, I myself have only read the first one so far and loved that and are in the process of attempting to get the next couple of books, but this film was released today and unfortunately my mates decided to watch this over He?s Just Not That Into You, mainly because it was the only one we could watch in time with our lift back, however, because of this I went into watching it with a level head, I didn?t know what to expect, I could see from the trailers that it was going to be a cheesy as hell, but I like Isla Fisher and I loved the book so I decided to give it a go.

The Plot

Rebecca Bloomwood is a New York journalist who has a slight obsession with shopping. Slight is putting it lightly as she is over $15,000 in debt due to her shopping habits and the only way she can see out of it, is to tell as many lies as possible and make more money, stop spending never occurs to her at all. Rebecca?s dream is to get a job within a leading fashion magazine called Alette with her idol

The Cast

Isla Fisher- Rebecca Bloomwood
Hugh Dancy- Luke Brandon
Krysten Ritter- Suze
Joan Cusack- Jane Bloomwood
John Goodman- Graham Bloomwood
Kristin Scott Thomas- Alette Naylor
Leslie Bibb- Alicia Billington

My Opinion

Like I said before, I went into this film quite bummed out because I really wanted to see He?s Just Not That Into You, however I?m glad I watched it now, it was hilarious, I needed a good laugh and that is what this film delivered. This film is for a very specific audience and I?m sure someone on this site will rate this film one star, mainly because they are male and were dragged along to see this film with their wife/girlfriend and hate the very ground they work on, if you are going to look to see if you want to watch this film please be a fan of romantic comedies, if you are not then you will hate the ground this film was made on, it is the epitome of romantic comedy in all of its cheesy glory. You really do get what you expect; something cheesy as hell and funny as hell as well which is an added comedy.

I did nearly get into a fight during this film, you know when you are dragged to see a PG film, where you have all of the little, well I?m not going to call them what I usually call them, but little children who obviously don?t understand a word of what?s being said but whatever, but there was this girl sat behind us of about 13/14, so she obviously understood what was going on, and every time ANYTHING happened, her and her damn annoying laugh would have a laughing fit, let?s say when that happens it ruins the film for you.

The film flowed brilliantly, it was easy to understand what was going on, there were a few gripes I had with the film, but I?ll talk about them in a minute under comparisons with the book, as this is what a lot of people will be thinking when they watch this film. As long as you go into the film expecting a romantic comedy, the film certainly delivers. You really find yourself relating with Rebecca within the film, her little stunts with not being able to throw things away, and stuffing everything in a cupboard so no one will find the stuff, was exactly something I would do and the results of this (if you?ve seen the film you?ll understand what I mean here) the results of stuffing everything into a cupboard has happened to me a few times.

The Acting

I have always known of Isla Fisher, she is for one with Ali G and of course was in the Aussie soap Home & Away, but it was her performances in, and I dare to say it Scooby Doo and Definitely, Maybe that made me think, wow this girl actually does have talent, and with the latter film it was obvious that she was one of the shining stars of the movie and that she could hold a movie together. She does so brilliantly with this film, what makes this film work is her performance and you do from the very first moment that she is on screen see yourself within this character and you do begin to care for this bubbly little character. She is a great comedic actress and gives you some great laughs within the film.

Now of course the thing that is a must within a romantic comedy is a highly dashing and highly amazing, no I can?t believe I just used the word dashing as well, but hell, who cares, back to the review, rom com?s MUST have a gorgeous lead male and they give us the English Hugh Dancy, when I first heard this I was like what the hell, they give us Bent Bloom?s lookalike (that?s Orlando Bloom for anyone that didn?t get my nickname), anyhow Dancy surpassed my expectations, and dare I say it, he?s pretty damn good looking and he can act, his chemistry with Fisher was brilliant, he was lovable as Luke Brandon the man that sees something in Rebecca, and he played the part brilliantly. I was very surprised, It wasn?t someone I imagined to play Luke Brandon from the book, however he played the part quite good.

The rest of the cast was good within the film, I think Joan Cusack who plays Rebecca?s mother was wrongly cast as it just didn?t work, but as always John Goodman is the lovable dad (as he was in Coyote Ugly) who supports Rebecca no matter what. Other cast members include Krysten Ritter who my mate thinks looks slightly like what she imagines a female serial killer to look like, but she was funny within the film as Rebecca?s best mate. Other roles include Kristin Scott Thomas with a stupid accent, I believe she was going for French but it pissed me off so much I didn?t listen to carefully.

The Clothes

Come on girls, what?s a film about shopping without great clothes and this film is filled with them, Rebecca?s obsession gives us some great, well, when I say great I mean wacky outfits that of course suit Isla Fisher straight away. The costume department had a great job of finding brilliant outfits and that is what they have found.

Comedy

I really did laugh my ass off with this film, it was hilarious, one of the funniest romantic comedies I?ve seen in a long time, it keeps you laughing throughout and it keeps the film on it?s toes I think, I think without the brilliant comedy, you will probably leave throughout the first 20 minutes, so if you have no sense of humour then you?ll probably be wasting your money.

Shopping/Recession

Some people have complained that why the hell was this movie released when we?re in the middle of a recession, no one is going to see it and why advertise shopping when everyone is broke, these people obviously haven?t seen the film as they will realise that you don?t come out of the cinema going, I want to shop, you come out of the cinema going, that could happen to the best of us, it?s the perfect time to realease a movie about debts and shopping as so many people can relate to this film and Rebecca Bloomwood because a lot of the current population are suffering with the very same problem, debt. This movie is very good in that way, I think it was very tastlfully done, never did they say that you had to go out and shop, it was all about addiction and how much do you really need that $120 green scarf.

Comparisons With The Book

Firstly, Tarquin or however you spell his name is in the film, he is not Suze?s cousin in the film and after Rebecca, but in the film he is Suze?s boyfriend, again causing me to say rather too loudly, eww that?s her cousin, which earned quite a few looks from the little people within the room. The book and the film really should be considered two separate things, because other than a few things they are very different.

Of course the main difference is the location, in the book, Rebecca is from London and most of the book is based around London, however the screenplay writers have uplifted the story and plonked it in the middle of New York, which does work I have to say. The problem for me is in the book, Rebecca starts off with Successful Saver but in the film she gets a job at Successful Saver under the command of Luke Brandon who apparently doesn?t run his own company. I did see the point of this however because of this it means that you don?t get a lot of the things that happened in the book, like the debate.

I think everything they changed from the book to film was for a good reasons, it got a lot more laughs and I think if they had followed the book to a T it wouldn?t have been such a good romantic comedy.

The Negatives

The film may come across to some people as a bit dumb, where I know this may have been the highlight for some people in the film, I literally said maybe a bit loud you?ve got to be f***ng kidding me, when a talking mannequin comes on stage to entice Rebecca into buying one a scarf, more mannequins appear throughout the film and it makes the realises of the film dive down, however it is a good metaphor as what they are trying to say with these stupid mannequins enticing Rebecca is that Shopaholic?s once they see something there is no talking them out of buying it, they have to have the item.

Who will enjoy the film?

I think that most girls/women who like chick flicks will adore this film, it?s one of the best I?ve seen in a long time, and you guys out there who don?t mind a chick flick every now and then will find this one very charming and very nice to watch. If you can?t stand chick flicks, please stay away from this film as you?ll hate it, it is one of the best rom com?s I?ve watched in a long time, and I?m glad I saw it.

Should You Watch The Film

If you?ve read the book and loved it then it?s a definite must see, there are quite a few changes but really it?s for the greater good of the film, I think Isla Fisher was just amazing within the film and she held the whole thing together, I think without her it would have fallen flat on its face and I don?t think it would have been as relatable as it is.

If you are looking for a good night out with the girls and want a good film to see then I will recommend this film entirely however, I?m sure He?s Just Not That Into You which I?m hoping to see next week will be just as good. It was an enjoyable film, but remember it is a PG so you do get a lot of the tiny evil children who ruin something?s for you.

Details

Running Time: 1 hr 45 minutes
Certificate: PG
Director: P.J Hogan
Release Date: 2009

(C) Kirsty 2009

 

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